WORLD BODYBUILDING FEDERATION
(W.B.B.F. - International)
WORLD FITNESS FEDERATION
(W.F.F. - International)
(W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Since 1968, 141 Country Members, 60 Annual International Events World Wide)
HISTORIC "AMBER PRIX INTERNATIONAL"
OVER ALL WINNERS
(1968 - 2025)
WOMEN
Year, Champion's Name, Country.
2025 BOGACZ OLGA, Poland

2024 IVANOVA JELENA, Latvia

2023 POVILONIENE VILMA, Lithuania

2022 SOBOLEWSKA KUCHARSKA ANNA, Poland

2021 SKYTTA HANNA, Finland

2020 SKYTTA HANNA, Finland

2019 MAZUMDER MOUMITA, India

2018 BROGGIA NERINA, Argentina
2017 HALAVEI HALINA, Cyprus
2016 TOLEDO YAMILA VANESSA, Argentina
2015 VLASOVA MARINA, Russia
2014 SOROKINA-KUKRES ALEKSANDRA, Lithuania
2013 TOLEDO YAMILA VANESSA, Argentina
2012 KOZLOVSKAJA VALENTINA, Belarus
2011 TOLEDO YAMILA VANESSA, Argentina
2010 VLASOVA VERA, Russia
2009 ISIDOROVA ALINA, Latvia
2008 TOLEDO YAMILA VANESSA, Argentina
2007 JELENA FRENKEL, Israel
2006 MILERIUTE JOLANTA, Lithuania
2005 JAKOVLEVA OLGA, Russia
2004 BORISOVA SVETLANA, Latvia
2003 PUGACHEVA SVETLANA, Russia
2002 DEGUTIENE LILIJA, Lithuania
2001 GLAGOLEVA VIKTORIA, Russia
2000 BURINSKAJA MARINA, Latvia
1999 MISEVICIENE SIMONA, Lithuania
1998 MISEVICIENE SIMONA, Lithuania
1997 MISEVICIENE SIMONA, Lithuania
1996 KAMINSKAITE IDALIJA, Lithuania
1995 KOVALKO TATJANA, Belarus
1994 KAMINSKAITE IDALIJA, Lithuania
1991 MURNIKOVIENE NATALIA, Lithuania
1990 MURNIKOVIENE NATALIA, Lithuania

WORLD FITNESS FEDERATION
(W.F.F. - International)
(W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Since 1968, 141 Country Members, 60 Annual International Events World Wide)
HISTORIC "AMBER PRIX INTERNATIONAL"
OVER ALL WINNERS
(1968 - 2025)

MEN
Date, Name, Country
2025 SZYMON LUBECKI , Poland

2024 RAHUL JOSHI, India

2023 ALEKSEJ LAPSHIN, Estonia

2022 VASILIJ BESPALENKO, Ukraine

2021 ARTUR KAMIENIAK, Poland

2020 MAROS KANASZ, Slovakia

2019 GOLAP RABHA,  India

2018 ALEKSANDR SACHAROV, Uzbekistan

2017 MAROS KANASZ, Slovakia
2016 JORG FUCHS, Germany
2015 AHMADI ARASH, Iran
2014 ANDREJ RUMIANCEV, Estonia
2013 ANDRZEJ BRZEZINSKI, Poland
2012 PIR SARANDIB MEHDI, Iran
2011 NAFTEJ SINGH, India
2010 DHARMENDER SINGH, India
2009 ALEKSANDR SCIOGOLEV, Russia
2008 DARIUS BUKSNAITIS, Lithuania
2007 ALEKSANDR SEVCOV, Estonia
2006 ALEXANDR LIUBOMIROV, Latvia
2005 IVAN SERGEJEV, Russia
2004 ALEKSANDR MASLOVSKIJ, Latvia
2003 AIVARS VISOCKIS, Latvia
2002 RADIK MANAFOV, Lithuania
2001 ALEKSANDR MASLOVSKIJ, Latvia
2000 RADIK MANAFOV, Lithuania
1999 DARIUS BUKSNAITIS, Lithuania
1998 RICARDAS GURSKAS, Lithuania
1997 ROLANDAS POCIUS, Lithuania
1996 ALGIRDAS KILCIAUSKAS, Lithuania
1995 SERGEJ OGORODNIKOV, Russia
1994 ALGIRDAS KILCIAUSKAS, Lithuania
1991 OLEGAS ZURAS, Lithuania
1990 OLEGAS ZURAS, Lithuania
1989 VIKTORAS JUCYS, Lithuania
1988 VIKTORAS JUCYS, Lithuania
1987 VIKTORAS JUCYS, Lithuania
1986 ROLANDAS BUCINSKAS, Lithuania
1985 ALGIRDAS IVANAUSKAS, Lithuania
1984 VINCAS DUBICKAS, Lithuania
1983 VINCAS DUBICKAS, Lithuania
1982 JEVGENIJ GORELIK, Lithuania
1981 SAULIUS MISEVICIUS, Lithuania
1980 VLADAS KAPCEVICIUS, Lithuania
1979 OLEV ANNUS, Estonia
1978 OLEV ANNUS, Estonia
1977 STASYS CUKANOVAS, Lithuania
1976 RISARDAS KRINICKIS, Lithuania
1975 RISARDAS KRINICKIS, Lithuania
1974 VYTAUTAS ZENKEVICIUS, Lithuania

1970 ANTANAS MINEIKIS, Lithuania
1969 ANTANAS MINEIKIS, Lithuania
1968 LEONAS PIVORIUNAS, Lithuania

International Secretary EDITA SENDRIENE

INFORMATION.
More detailed information on the Global International Site www.wff.lt, see forum topics.

CONTEST REGISTRATION: www.worldfitness.lt

“Amber Prix” stories. Yevgeny Zhurtsev – A Lifetime Devoted to Bodybuilding.

One of the most prominent figures associated with the legendary international Amber Prix tournament was Yevgeny Zhurtsev of Vilnius, one of Lithuania's leading bodybuilders of the 1970s and 1980s. He belonged to a generation of athletes who built the sport not with modern training facilities or financial support, but through enthusiasm, perseverance, and an unwavering determination to improve.

Zhurtsev began training in 1966 in a woodshed in his backyard and later continued in the attic of his home. Only a year later, in 1967, he made his competitive debut at local bodybuilding competitions in Panevėžys.

From 1969 to 1971, compulsory military service in the Soviet Army interrupted his athletic career. Upon returning, he immediately resumed training together with his friend Yuri Prikhodko.

A turning point came when he began working under Česlav Tamulevič, one of the Soviet Union's finest bodybuilding coaches and the founder of the renowned Vilnius School of Bodybuilding. Athletes trained within this system became famous not only for their outstanding physiques but also for their exceptional posing artistry. Their posing routines became a benchmark throughout the Soviet Union, attracting bodybuilders from many republics who traveled to Vilnius to learn from them.

Yevgeny Zhurtsev became one of the brightest representatives of this school. In 1972, although he was still eligible to compete as a junior, his coach entered him in the senior division at the Georg Tenno Memorial in Tallinn. The decision reflected both the coach's confidence in his athlete and Zhurtsev's remarkable level of maturity.

Zhurtsev was remembered not only for his well-balanced physique but also for his artistry on stage. His original and meticulously choreographed posing routines distinguished him from other competitors, earning enthusiastic applause from spectators. Within the bodybuilding community, he gained respect not only for his competitive achievements but also for his character and unwavering dedication to the sport.

In 1973, he established his own bodybuilding club in a former bomb shelter in the Antakalnis district of Vilnius. For more than two decades, the gym served not only as his personal training facility but also as a gathering place for aspiring bodybuilders. In 1994, however, rising rental costs forced him to close the club.

Determined to reach the highest level of excellence, Zhurtsev constantly experimented with new training methods. He trained every day, often twice a day. Such uncompromising dedication eventually took its toll. Years of extreme workloads resulted in serious shoulder and arm joint injuries. Nevertheless, his perseverance prevailed. After a lengthy recovery, he returned to competition in 1976 and won second place in his class at an international tournament in Kalinin (now Tver, Russia). Ironically, because the local authorities had banned the event, the competition was held illegally inside a sports club—an illustration of the difficult circumstances surrounding bodybuilding in the Soviet Union at the time.

His greatest competitive successes came in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At the 1978 Amber Prix in Klaipėda, Zhurtsev placed second in his category behind Olev Anus. Two years later he achieved the greatest victory of his career, winning his class at the 1980 Amber Prix. He also competed successfully in the traditional Komsomol Cup tournaments held in Kaunas in 1980, 1983, and 1984, consistently finishing among the prize winners.

Reflecting on his career, Zhurtsev once said:

"I trained incredibly hard, but I never became a world champion. I was never a slave to money—whatever I earned, I spent on food..."

These few words capture his entire philosophy. For him, bodybuilding was never about wealth or fame. It was a way of life.

Yevgeny Zhurtsev can rightly be described as a true bodybuilding idealist. He belonged to a generation of athletes who competed not for financial rewards but out of genuine passion for the sport. His life was defined by relentless self-improvement, and every success he achieved was earned through discipline, determination, and extraordinary willpower.

Today, Yevgeny Zhurtsev is remembered not only as the winner of the 1980 Amber Prix but also as one of the finest representatives of the Vilnius School of Bodybuilding, a master of posing artistry, and a man whose complete devotion to the sport inspired an entire generation of Lithuanian bodybuilders. His legacy demonstrates that an athlete's greatest achievement is measured not only by medals but also by the lasting mark left on the history of sport and in the memories of those who witnessed it.

More information is on international site www.wff.lt

WORLD BODYBUILDING ENCYCLOPEDIA.

„LITHUANIA AMBASSADOR FOR WORLD COUNTRIES“.

In 2015 and in 2016 W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. (World Fitness Federation, World Bodybuilding Federation) was holding International events in Lithuanian Kretinga City. A number of Parliament members and representatives of the Government Republic Lithuania were present at the opening ceremony of both  events. At that time official advisor of the Prime Minister Republic Lithuania Mr. ANTANAS VINKUS was surprized by multiple representation of athletes and delegates from various Continents and Countries. There were athletes from Africa, Asia, South America and Europe at the mentioned above competitions. On the contest stage Mr. ANTANAS VINKUS named International President W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS as the „Lithuania Ambassador for the World Countries“.

More information is on International Site www.wff.lt

“Amber Prix” stories. Yevgeny Zhurtsev – A Lifetime Devoted to Bodybuilding.

One of the most prominent figures associated with the legendary international Amber Prix tournament was Yevgeny Zhurtsev of Vilnius, one of Lithuania's leading bodybuilders of the 1970s and 1980s. He belonged to a generation of athletes who built the sport not with modern training facilities or financial support, but through enthusiasm, perseverance, and an unwavering determination to improve.

Zhurtsev began training in 1966 in a woodshed in his backyard and later continued in the attic of his home. Only a year later, in 1967, he made his competitive debut at local bodybuilding competitions in Panevėžys.

From 1969 to 1971, compulsory military service in the Soviet Army interrupted his athletic career. Upon returning, he immediately resumed training together with his friend Yuri Prikhodko.

A turning point came when he began working under Česlav Tamulevič, one of the Soviet Union's finest bodybuilding coaches and the founder of the renowned Vilnius School of Bodybuilding. Athletes trained within this system became famous not only for their outstanding physiques but also for their exceptional posing artistry. Their posing routines became a benchmark throughout the Soviet Union, attracting bodybuilders from many republics who traveled to Vilnius to learn from them.

Yevgeny Zhurtsev became one of the brightest representatives of this school. In 1972, although he was still eligible to compete as a junior, his coach entered him in the senior division at the Georg Tenno Memorial in Tallinn. The decision reflected both the coach's confidence in his athlete and Zhurtsev's remarkable level of maturity.

Zhurtsev was remembered not only for his well-balanced physique but also for his artistry on stage. His original and meticulously choreographed posing routines distinguished him from other competitors, earning enthusiastic applause from spectators. Within the bodybuilding community, he gained respect not only for his competitive achievements but also for his character and unwavering dedication to the sport.

In 1973, he established his own bodybuilding club in a former bomb shelter in the Antakalnis district of Vilnius. For more than two decades, the gym served not only as his personal training facility but also as a gathering place for aspiring bodybuilders. In 1994, however, rising rental costs forced him to close the club.

Determined to reach the highest level of excellence, Zhurtsev constantly experimented with new training methods. He trained every day, often twice a day. Such uncompromising dedication eventually took its toll. Years of extreme workloads resulted in serious shoulder and arm joint injuries. Nevertheless, his perseverance prevailed. After a lengthy recovery, he returned to competition in 1976 and won second place in his class at an international tournament in Kalinin (now Tver, Russia). Ironically, because the local authorities had banned the event, the competition was held illegally inside a sports club—an illustration of the difficult circumstances surrounding bodybuilding in the Soviet Union at the time.

His greatest competitive successes came in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At the 1978 Amber Prix in Klaipėda, Zhurtsev placed second in his category behind Olev Anus. Two years later he achieved the greatest victory of his career, winning his class at the 1980 Amber Prix. He also competed successfully in the traditional Komsomol Cup tournaments held in Kaunas in 1980, 1983, and 1984, consistently finishing among the prize winners.

Reflecting on his career, Zhurtsev once said:

"I trained incredibly hard, but I never became a world champion. I was never a slave to money—whatever I earned, I spent on food..."

These few words capture his entire philosophy. For him, bodybuilding was never about wealth or fame. It was a way of life.

Yevgeny Zhurtsev can rightly be described as a true bodybuilding idealist. He belonged to a generation of athletes who competed not for financial rewards but out of genuine passion for the sport. His life was defined by relentless self-improvement, and every success he achieved was earned through discipline, determination, and extraordinary willpower.

Today, Yevgeny Zhurtsev is remembered not only as the winner of the 1980 Amber Prix but also as one of the finest representatives of the Vilnius School of Bodybuilding, a master of posing artistry, and a man whose complete devotion to the sport inspired an entire generation of Lithuanian bodybuilders. His legacy demonstrates that an athlete's greatest achievement is measured not only by medals but also by the lasting mark left on the history of sport and in the memories of those who witnessed it.

More information is on international site www.wff.lt

CNN Report from Klaipėda – An Unprecedented Event in Lithuania.

Until recently, the idea that CNN would produce a report from Klaipėda would have seemed almost unimaginable. One might have assumed that one of the world's largest television networks would only take an interest in Lithuania's seaport city because of a natural disaster, a political crisis, or another event of global significance.

This time, however, it was sport that attracted international attention.

The 50th Anniversary International "Amber Prize" Tournament, held together with the WFF-WBBF "Universe" Championship in Klaipėda, generated unexpected worldwide interest. Although bodybuilding and fitness rarely receive coverage from major international broadcasters, these competitions attracted the attention of CNN.

The event brought together 198 athletes from 17 countries: Belgium, Belarus, Estonia, Germany, India, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan. The broad international participation once again confirmed that the WFF-WBBF championships organized in Klaipėda had long since outgrown the status of national competitions and had become significant international sporting events.

The decisive turning point came after the Indian national team returned home. Indian media extensively covered their athletes' performances and victories in Klaipėda, and these publications caught the attention of CNN's editorial staff.

While preparing its report, CNN journalists contacted the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in New Delhi, requesting official information and video material. The embassy forwarded the request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, which in turn contacted Dr. Edmundas Daubaras. Under his coordination, Svetlana Pugacheva, Chair of the WFF-WBBF Technical Committee, prepared the official information and video archive that were subsequently provided to CNN.

Shortly afterwards, CNN broadcast a report introducing Lithuania, the city of Klaipėda, and the international WFF-WBBF championships held there to its global audience.

The report was significant not only for the federation and the event organizers. It represented international recognition that bodybuilding and fitness championships organized in Lithuania had reached world-class standards. It is particularly symbolic that the path to CNN began not in Lithuania but in India, where extensive media coverage of the athletes' achievements encouraged CNN journalists to investigate the event further.

The broadcast became one of the most important international recognitions of the WFF-WBBF Federation's activities. It demonstrated that the organization's reputation, built over many years through professionally organized championships and the consistent work of Dr. Edmundas Daubaras in developing the global bodybuilding and fitness movement, had earned genuine international acknowledgment.

Millions of CNN viewers heard the names of Lithuania and Klaipėda in the context of international sport, professional event organization, and international cooperation. Such worldwide exposure was not achieved through advertising campaigns but through decades of dedicated work, making this a landmark achievement for Klaipėda, Lithuanian bodybuilding, and the entire WFF-WBBF Federation.

Conclusions

CNN's report on the international WFF-WBBF championships held in Klaipėda became an exceptional milestone in the history of Lithuanian sport. The attention of one of the world's leading television networks was earned through the international scale of the competitions and their impact far beyond Lithuania's borders.

The event demonstrated that years of dedicated work, professional organization of international championships, and strong global partnerships can open the doors to the world's most influential media organizations. Klaipėda became the city from which the story of Lithuanian sport reached millions of viewers around the world.

More information is on international site www.wff.lt

क्लाइपेडा से CNN की रिपोर्ट – लिथुआनिया के इतिहास में एक अभूतपूर्व घटना

कुछ समय पहले तक यह कल्पना करना भी कठिन था कि CNN क्लाइपेडा से कोई विशेष रिपोर्ट प्रसारित करेगा। यह माना जा सकता था कि दुनिया का यह प्रतिष्ठित समाचार चैनल लिथुआनिया के इस बंदरगाह शहर में केवल किसी प्राकृतिक आपदा, राजनीतिक संकट या वैश्विक महत्व की घटना के कारण ही रुचि लेगा।

लेकिन इस बार दुनिया का ध्यान खेल ने आकर्षित किया।

क्लाइपेडा में आयोजित 50वीं वर्षगांठ अंतरराष्ट्रीय "Amber Prize" Tournament तथा WFF-WBBF "Universe" Championship ने अप्रत्याशित रूप से वैश्विक ध्यान आकर्षित किया। यद्यपि बॉडीबिल्डिंग और फिटनेस प्रतियोगिताएँ सामान्यतः विश्व के प्रमुख समाचार माध्यमों में स्थान नहीं पातीं, फिर भी इस आयोजन ने CNN का ध्यान अपनी ओर खींच लिया।

प्रतियोगिता में 17 देशों के 198 एथलीटों ने भाग लिया। इनमें बेल्जियम, बेलारूस, एस्टोनिया, भारत, इटली, यूनाइटेड किंगडम, साइप्रस, लातविया, लिथुआनिया, दक्षिण अफ्रीका, रूस, सर्बिया, स्लोवाकिया, तुर्की, यूक्रेन, उज्बेकिस्तान और जर्मनी शामिल थे। प्रतिभागियों की यह व्यापक अंतरराष्ट्रीय उपस्थिति इस बात का प्रमाण थी कि क्लाइपेडा में आयोजित WFF-WBBF प्रतियोगिताएँ बहुत पहले ही राष्ट्रीय स्तर से आगे बढ़कर प्रतिष्ठित अंतरराष्ट्रीय खेल आयोजनों का स्वरूप ग्रहण कर चुकी थीं।

निर्णायक मोड़ तब आया जब भारतीय राष्ट्रीय टीम अपने देश लौटी। भारत के समाचार माध्यमों ने क्लाइपेडा में भारतीय खिलाड़ियों के प्रदर्शन और उनकी उपलब्धियों को व्यापक रूप से प्रकाशित किया। इन्हीं समाचारों ने CNN के संपादकीय विभाग का ध्यान आकर्षित किया।

अपनी रिपोर्ट तैयार करने के लिए CNN के पत्रकारों ने नई दिल्ली स्थित लिथुआनिया गणराज्य के दूतावास से आधिकारिक जानकारी और वीडियो सामग्री का अनुरोध किया। दूतावास ने यह अनुरोध लिथुआनिया के विदेश मंत्रालय को भेजा, जिसने डॉ. एडमुंडस दौबारस से संपर्क किया। उनके समन्वय में WFF-WBBF की तकनीकी समिति की अध्यक्ष स्वेतलाना पुगाचेवा ने आधिकारिक जानकारी और वीडियो अभिलेख तैयार किए, जिन्हें बाद में CNN को उपलब्ध कराया गया।

कुछ ही समय बाद CNN ने अपने वैश्विक दर्शकों के लिए लिथुआनिया, क्लाइपेडा और वहाँ आयोजित अंतरराष्ट्रीय WFF-WBBF प्रतियोगिताओं पर विशेष रिपोर्ट प्रसारित की।

यह केवल एक खेल समाचार नहीं था। यह इस बात की अंतरराष्ट्रीय मान्यता थी कि लिथुआनिया में आयोजित बॉडीबिल्डिंग और फिटनेस प्रतियोगिताएँ विश्व स्तरीय आयोजनों के रूप में स्थापित हो चुकी हैं। विशेष रूप से उल्लेखनीय यह तथ्य है कि CNN तक पहुँचने का मार्ग लिथुआनिया से नहीं, बल्कि भारत से प्रारंभ हुआ। भारतीय मीडिया में प्रकाशित समाचारों ने ही CNN के पत्रकारों को इस आयोजन के बारे में और अधिक जानकारी प्राप्त करने के लिए प्रेरित किया।

यह रिपोर्ट WFF-WBBF महासंघ की अंतरराष्ट्रीय प्रतिष्ठा का एक महत्वपूर्ण प्रमाण बनी। इसने सिद्ध किया कि वर्षों से निर्मित संगठन की प्रतिष्ठा, पेशेवर ढंग से आयोजित चैंपियनशिप और विश्व स्तर पर बॉडीबिल्डिंग तथा फिटनेस आंदोलन के विकास के लिए डॉ. एडमुंडस दौबारस के निरंतर प्रयासों को वास्तविक अंतरराष्ट्रीय मान्यता प्राप्त हुई है।

CNN के करोड़ों दर्शकों ने पहली बार लिथुआनिया और क्लाइपेडा का नाम अंतरराष्ट्रीय खेल, उत्कृष्ट आयोजन क्षमता और वैश्विक सहयोग के संदर्भ में सुना। यह वैश्विक पहचान किसी विज्ञापन अभियान का परिणाम नहीं थी, बल्कि दशकों की निरंतर मेहनत और समर्पण का प्रतिफल थी। यह उपलब्धि क्लाइपेडा, लिथुआनियाई बॉडीबिल्डिंग तथा संपूर्ण WFF-WBBF महासंघ के लिए एक ऐतिहासिक क्षण बन गई।

निष्कर्ष

क्लाइपेडा में आयोजित अंतरराष्ट्रीय WFF-WBBF प्रतियोगिताओं पर CNN की रिपोर्ट लिथुआनियाई खेल इतिहास की एक असाधारण उपलब्धि थी। विश्व के सबसे प्रभावशाली समाचार नेटवर्कों में से एक का ध्यान इस आयोजन को उसके अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर और विश्वव्यापी प्रभाव के कारण प्राप्त हुआ।

इस घटना ने यह सिद्ध कर दिया कि वर्षों का समर्पित कार्य, अंतरराष्ट्रीय प्रतियोगिताओं का पेशेवर आयोजन और वैश्विक खेल समुदाय के साथ मजबूत संबंध विश्व की सबसे प्रभावशाली समाचार संस्थाओं तक पहुँचने का मार्ग खोल सकते हैं। क्लाइपेडा वह शहर बन गया जहाँ से लिथुआनिया के खेल की कहानी दुनिया भर के करोड़ों लोगों तक पहुँची।